Brighton make first move for Colombian midfielder – 11 goals this year have caught attention

Brighton have made initial contact with Club León over Colombian midfielder Daniel Arcila, 24, who has scored 11 goals this year; Botafogo also interested but no formal offer yet.

Brighton have begun preliminary enquiries about signing Daniel Arcila, a 24-year-old Colombian attacking midfielder at Club León. The player has had a productive 2026, scoring 11 goals across two competitions and averaging a goal every 190 minutes in 34 appearances. His performances have also earned him a first call-up to Colombia's senior national team.

According to Colombian journalist Juan Camilo Ruiz, Brighton have made an initial approach to explore Arcila's situation. Brazilian club Botafogo are also interested, though neither side has yet submitted a formal offer. Arcila is contracted to León until June 2028, and Transfermarkt values him at around €1.5m, though no asking price has been publicly set.

Brighton's interest aligns with their established strategy of identifying talent from South America before players become established in Europe. The next stage would be whether the Seagulls convert this initial enquiry into a concrete bid.